Adults may be fighting a losing battle in prising mobile devices out of the hands of their children. One 18-year-old Californian, Eesha Khare, has invented technology that can recharge a cellphone in less than 20 seconds.

Khare invented her super-capacitator out of frustration, she told reporters, and her invention has won her an Intel Young Scientist Award prize of US$50 000. Google has already reputedly contacted the teen to talk about future collaborations.